Can opener and spout former



May 2, 1933.

E. WISMAR 4 CAN OPENER AND SPOUT FORMER Filed Nov. 4, 1931 6 7 5 Z 2 W 2 MT 1 M a l :IIIIHM 7 a w 2 M I ,IIEi I 2221 1 4 0 0. ////.T 7 f5 2 E E Patented May 2, 1933 WISIYTAR, F LOS ANGELES, CALTFORNIA can ormm AND sneer ronrann- Application filed. November 4, 1931. Serial No. 572,975.

This invention relates to can openers, and has ioran object to provide a can opener of unusually simple design, which is adapted not only to form an opening in a can, but

0 also to provide a pouring spout in suitable position with respect to the opening to serve as a lip capable ofassisting in pouring the liquid contents of the can through the openmg.

The invention possesses other objects and advantageous features, some of which, with those enumerated, will be set forth in the following description of the inventions particular embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view inside elevation of a can opener embodying the principles of the present invention in proper position with respect to a can to be opened to start the opening process.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing'the can opener in the position asstep of the opening process.

Fig. 3 is another View similar to Fig. 1,

but showing the can opener upon completion of thesecond step of the opening process.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the top of the can after completion of the operation of the can opener. A portion of the figure is broken away to reduce its size.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is aside elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the can opener. v

The can opener of the present invention comprises preferably a flat strip 11 of suitable rigid material, preferably metal, at one end of which :1. prong 12 and a heel 13 are formed. At the other end of the strip 11 an eye 14. is formed by bending the strip back upon itself in an open circle, thereby providing means for hanging the can opener upon a nail or hook, and also an abut- 50 ment against which the operator may press sumed thereby upon completion of the first his hand without discomfort, with suficient pressure to thrust the prong 12 through the top 16 of a can 17 to be opened.

The prong 12 and heel 13 are formed by cutting a slot or notch 18 in the end of the an strip 11, this notch being preferably at a slight inclination with the side edges of the strip, so that the proximal edges 19 and 20 of the prong 12 and heel 13 incline from. the

associated end ofthe strip and toward the to heel 13, as clearly shown uponFigs. 1 and 7. This inclination of the slot 18 also results in making the prong 12 wider at its base 21 than adjacent its outer end 22, and this outer end 22'is also provided with a point 23 to assist its penetration of the can to be opened. Preferably the prong 12 and the heel 13 are of substantially the same length, and the notch 18 is of such width that the bead or crimping 26 which is usually provided at each end'ot' that type of can which is commonly employed for fluids such as milk, may be received within the notch 18, with the prong 12 extending upon one side of the bead 26 after penetrating the top 16, and T5 is substantially as follows: The can opener m is held in the hand with the ,eye 14; resting against ,the palm of the hand andwith the handle portion of the strip extending preferably between the first and second ringers. The point 23 of the prong 12 is then placed in contact with the'top 16 of the can 17 to be opened, and closely adjacent the intersection of the top 16 with the side wall 27, substantially as illustrated upon Fig. 1. Suf- M ticient pressure-is then exerted upon the can opener to cause the prong 12 to penetrate the top1l6. Because of the fact that the base 21 of the prong 12 is wider than the outer end 22 thereof, the opening 31 thus formed will be made lon er as the prong 12 penetrates the top of t e can, the result being that when the prong 12 has been thrust to the greatest possible distance through the top 16, the outer end 32 of the hole 31 W111 be closely adjacent the irfner surface of the side wall 27.

This movement of the can opener causes the heel 13 to extend outside the can and along the side wall, so that the lower end of the heel may be brought into engagement with the side wall below the head 26 by swinging the upper end of the can opener laterally and radially outwards with respect to the can. After the heel has thus been brought into engagement with the outside surface of the side wall, the outward swinging movement of the can opener should be continued, causing the entire device to fulcrum about the point of contact of the heel with the side wall. This moves the prong 12 laterally, drawing it toward the side wall until it engages the relatively thick portion thereof which is presented by the crimped edges of the top 16 and the side wall through which the prong will be unable to out. Instead of cutting this relatively thick portion of the can, the ,prong will cause it to be drawn outw ards, bending the adjacent portion of the side wall 27 outwards beyond the circle described by the edge of the top 16, thereby forming a lip 33, which is best shown upon Figs. 5 and 6. p

This same movement of the can opener causes the lower end of the heel '13 to ress inwards against the outer surface 0 the side wall 27 producing an indentation 34 (see Fig. 6), the result being that that portion of the lip 33 which lies between the bottom of the depression 34 and the outer extremity 36 or point of the lip, will be in- .clined from the vertical to a greater extent than would be the case if the indentation 34 were not formed.

Thus it may be seen that I have provided a novel means for opening a can and forming a pouring spot thereon, which is capable of operating in conjunction with the opening to assist in pouring the liquid contents from the can. Inasmuch as the lip inclines inwards anddownwards from its outer extremity or point 36, there is less tendency for a drop or more of the liquid to adhere to the outer surface of the side wall 27 by capillary attraction, and this advantage is enhanced by the formation of the indentation 34, because this increases to a further extent the inclination ofithe lip from the vertical.

The can opener of the present invention is very easy touse, because of the fact that the prong 12 is relatively small, and therefore can be caused to penetrate the top of a can with relatively little efiort. However, since the prong is moved laterally after it is caused to penetrate the top, the opening 31 formed thereby is amply large to permit the iquid contents of the can to be poured thererom.

ing adapted to penetrate an end of a can and said heel being adapted to extend outside the can and along a side wall thereof as the prong penetrates the end of the can, said heel providing a fulcrum adapted to engage said side wall at a point spaced from said end and about which said strip may be swung to move said prong laterally, thereby elongating the hole formed by the prong and bending the adjacent portion of said side wall outwards in-the form of a lip.

2. A can opener comprising a flat rigid strip, and a prong and heel extending from an end of said strip substantially parallel to each other and of the same length, said prong having a point and being adapted to penetrate an end of a can and said heel being adapted to extend outside the can and along a side wall thereof as the prong penetrates the end of the can, said heel providing a fulcrum adapted to engage said side wall at a point spaced from said end. and about which said strip may be swung to move said prong laterally, thereby elongating the hole formed by the pron'g and bending the adjacent portion of said side wall outwards in the form of a lip.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EMIL WISMAR.

It is to be understood that the details of 

